Through The Spyball
by n-dere
Summary: NEVERSEEN SPOILERS. Keefe Sencen betrayed the Black Swan. That's what everyone thinks, but that doesn't mean Sophie will stop believing in him. The times when Sophie watched Keefe through her spyball, never regreting, and always wishing, then finally saving him. No longer one-shot! AGAIN NEVERSEEN SPOILERS. SERIOUS NEVERSEEN SPOILERS. last chapter added thank you for reading
1. peace

She needed to see him.

She just had to.

She vowed that the next person she laid eyes on had better be Keefe Sencen or else she would start flinging her poo like Iggy.

Sophie knew that it was strictly against Mr. Forkle-Tiergan-Magnate Leto's rule of "no trying to spy or contact Neverseen in any way," and that was one of the reasons that she was doing it.

Sitting on the edge of her bed in her way-too-big-for-her bedroom at Havenfield, Sophie took a deep breath, holding her spyball steadily in her hands. Then she said four words.

"Show me Keefe Sencen."

At first, Sophie thought that it wasn't going to work, that the Neverseen had found a way to make sure no one saw them, because the spyball remained unresponsive. But them the orb started changing color, its contents shifting around, until suddenly they cleared, showing a cliff somewhere out in the world, rain pouring in sheets and the sky as dark as night.

He looked terrible. That was the first thing she noticed. Keefe's clothes were in tatters and soaking, the only thing not ripped to shreds was the mark of the Neverseen: a black patch with a white eye on his right arm.

Seeing it on him made Sophie's breath catch in her throat, but she forced herself not to fuss over it, because she knew that she was going to get him back.

Keefe's hair was…well, Sophie had really misjudged how much Keefe could actually take. It looked like his blond hair hadn't seen the looks of a comb in ages and it was plastered to his forehead due to the rain.

But the worst part of him was his face. It was scarred and, Sophie guessed, had once been bloody, but the rain had washed it away. Keefe had a bruise in his left cheek and a black eye. The reason why suddenly struck Sophie like a cold wave:

 _They were beating him,_ Sophie thought. She could only think of one reason as to why any they would do that, other than Neverseen just being plain evil, and that was because Keefe had let her go.

Keefe was sitting crisscross-applesauce at the edge of the cliff, his eyes closed and his face blank as rain pelted him and the wind whipped at his hair. All in all, Keefe didn't look distressed, he actually looked pretty peaceful and…comfortable. Other than his twitching fingers ( _twitching, always twitching_ ) and beat up face, he looked fine, not at all like what she thought he would look like, not…

"…Broken," Sophie whispered, surprised at the sound of her voice faltering and the tears falling down her cheeks.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and watched as a cloaked Neverseen member staggered towards Keefe, holding something that looked like a beer bottle from the Forbidden Cities in his right hand. He goes and sits next to Keefe, and only when it appears that he starts talking does Keefe open his eyes.

 _Cold, so cold, like ice,_ Sophie thought, her heart clenching as Keefe's icy blue eyes looked at the cloaked Neverseen member, an evil smirk appearing on his lips. Through his eyes, you would never be able to find a trace of the old Keefe, the one that joked and snuck into Dame Alina's office, or rode with her across the ocean on an alicorn, or the Keefe that was her friend. Now there was only coldness and emptiness. No emotion.

Sophie felt hopeless. She wanted to take the last bit of hope she had left, throw it to the ground and destroy it underneath her boot.

But she knew that she couldn't. She had to hope. She had to hope she would get Keefe back, and that Neverseen would be destroyed, and that the plague would be stopped with the Panakes flowers, and that everything would be alright.

 _Trust me._ Always.

 _Please don't hate me._ Never.

But Sophie found herself wishing something too.

"Please come back," she barely managed to whisper as the image of Keefe disappeared and her tears clouded her vision from her cruel world.


	2. sleep

**I wasn't expecting people to want more, and writing this was somewhat troublesome, but I managed to get it down sooner or later. Sorry if it's bad, they always say the second one is always worse, and, in my case, it just might.**

 **I should have put the NEVERSEEN spoilers alert sooner. I'm so sorry for that.**

 **Thank you xoYanaaa for your advice about writers block! It seriously helped!**

 **Thank you everyone who reviewed and hit the follow button!**

* * *

The second time Sophie saw Keefe through her spyball, he was asleep.

Not in a bed (Sophie then wondered if the Neverseen even _had_ beds), but at least in a room. With a window. And some paper. And Keefe in a blanket. That was pretty much it.

Keefe looked fine: his bruises and wounds had healed and disappeared, except for a small scar on his chin that was red and swollen, but, gladly, not bleeding. Keefe's blond hair looked better, and judging by the way it was styled, he had finally realized he couldn't handle non-purposely-messy-but-awesome-looking hair. Sophie guessed that he had better clothes, too, but she couldn't tell due to the blankets he was wrapped in.

Keefe was piled up against the single window in the dark room, bundled up in blankets, the only part of his body showing was his head.

 _Keefe burrito,_ Sophie thought with a smile. Then she frowned when she looked at the window.

Taped onto the glass was a pencil drawing, looking more like a picture, letting Sophie know that Keefe had drawn it. In the drawing was the outside of a building—a treehouse was a better word for it, actually—with a large window set at its center. In the window was the head of a familiar looking girl, her lips slighty parted, her eyes closed, her face peaceful, and her cheek pressed up against the glass.

With a shy smile and a deep red blush, Sophie realized it was her, from when she and Keefe had their window sleepovers when they were with the Black Swan. She was again shocked at how precise and detailed the picture was, even though she knew that with Keefe's photographic memory, he could draw practically anything.

But she was also shocked that Keefe had chosen to draw her, though she pushed the thought that he had drawn Sophie to help him sleep, because that filled her with a giddy feeling that made her heart beat much too fast to be healthy. (She then wondered if Keefe could feel her feelings from where he was in the world, and if it was bothing him.)

Even though it was a slightly creepy gesture on Keefe's part (but also on Sophie's, she was practically stalking him), it filled her with warmth and...love? Yes, love. Love that Keefe was thinking about her, and that he possibly missed her, and that he had drawn her a lot prettier than she thought she was.

Sophie felt pathetic. She knew Keefe was expecting her to do something, or at least that he still believed that she was going to righten everything, but when she saw his drawing, she felt like a pathetic supernatual elf that still didn't have any idea as to what she was supposed to do, for Keefe and for the entire elven world.

But then she noticed the other drawings all scattered around this place that Keefe was in.

Drawings of Fitz, Biana, Silveny and Greyfell, Sophie, Dex, even his own parents were spread all over the ground like a mosaic depicting pretty much nothing at all. Each picture showed something different: Fitz and Biana with their family, as Keefe always wanted to have for himself, Dex and his jacked up Imparter of twigs and wires, Linh Song creating a gigantic wave, Tam with his shadow elongated along the floor behind him darkly, and, finally, Sophie noticed another drawing of herself. It was a close up of her face, with blush flourished along her cheeks as she fingered Keefe's necklace the first time he gave it to her.

Now, Sophie fingered the Panakes bead. She could feel the spot where the crystal that had taken her away from Keefe had been. She wished, again, because being an elf could always have its perks, like possibly granting wishes. She wished that the crystal were still there, except instead of taking her home, it would take her straight to Keefe, because sometimes Sophie felt as though he was the only home she had left.

Sophie was just about to drop the spyball and cry until Edaline or Grady walked in, but even then she would've just thrown one of the multiple pillows at arms reach at them and kept on crying. She knew that wouldn't be what anyone wanted, especially Keefe, but that's really what she wanted to do.

But she didn't. She couldn't.

Sophie took a deep breath, her nerves calming. She lifted the covers of her giant bed and slipped under, comforted by the fact that there was warmth still existing in this time. She was supposd to be asleep, it was the middle of the night, and seeing Keefe asleep and _okay,_ or at least looking it (other than the black lines painted under Keefe's eyes that made him look like a football player/model, that statement was somewhat true), made Sophie's brain blissfully numb, her eyelids growing heavy.

Sophie took one last lingering look at the sleeping Keefe before her eyes gave out and they closed. Sleep came more easily then, because she promised—she _knew_ —that next time she and Keefe slept, he would be closer to her. In her heart and in her eyes.

* * *

 **That...I don't know, sucked? Tell me what you think, and if you have something you might want to see here (because I honestly have _nothing,_ emphasis on _nothing_ )PM me or leave a review. Thanks for being awesome everyone! Favorite, follow, and more importantly, review please.**

 **FOREVER YOUNG,**

 **~Sassy di Angelo :)**


	3. understanding

**Hiiii! I'm back! Yayy! Anyways, new chapter! I know, "finally, Sassy, how long has it been?" Well, I don't know, like a week or something? I'm just kidding, but seriously something serious here. I need you to go on Google (or any search engine) and look up "anthony andrew candy candy." Go to images and you will see a picture of an anime boy that will resemble Keefe in almost every possible way. Now, I have no idea how that is possible, but it is.**

 **Also, DID YOU HERE OF THE TITLE OF BOOK 5? It's out, already! It think I know it. If you know it, tell me!**

 **Enjoy this chapter and responses to reviews are at the bottom of the chapter. Disclaimer: all characters belong to Shannon Messenger! I am not Shannon Messenger!**

* * *

Sophie Foster sat at one of the largest tables she had ever seen along with Mr. Forkle (now Magnate Leto, but seriously, he gives people migraines remembering that), Alden, Fitz, and all of the members of the Collective (or, as Sophie sometimes called them, _not really the leaders but really the leaders_ of the Black Swan). They were at Everglen, conversing about security precautions against Neverseen. Sophie could guess that the only reason she and Fitz were there was because Mr. Forkle knew they would throw a fit if they weren't.

Sophie knew Dex and Biana were right outside the door, listening in, though there wasn't much to listen to. The group had sat in an awkward silence ever since Mr. Forkle announced that he would have extra security around Sophie from then and on. She needed more protection, he had said, because she could open the cache, and the Neverseen would do anything to get at Sophie.

Sophie didn't want to be here. That was obvious to pretty much everyone in the room, but she couldn't do anything about it.

 _I'm saving lives,_ Sophie reminded herself, though she was starting to doubt that sitting around talking about her own safety was benefiting anyone _._ Especially...Keefe.

Sophie silently cursed at herself, her hand clenching into a fist as anger at herself boiled inside of her. She hadn't checked on Keefe in _days._ He could've been hurt or dying and the people around her were worried about him coming and abducting her in her sleep. Sophie had been so busy helping to stop the plague and her cognates training with Fitz, all of her off time was sleep and food. And occasionally bathing.

Sophie was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Fitz trying to grab her attention.

"Sophie!"

Her head snapped up, her wide, brown eyes searching all of the faces of the elves around her. Magnate Leto's face was glaring at her, his eyes narrowed.

"A penny for your thoughts, Ms. Foster?" Mr. Forkle asked simply, oblivious to her troubled thinking.

Sophie's mind was still in its brooding mode. "You still have pennies?"

Mr. Forkle sighed, defeated. "What's the matter? Sophie?"

After a pause, Sophie spoke. "How can you want to hurt other elves?" She asked.

Mr. Forkle blinked. "Well, they hurt people, in our world and the mortal world."

"You've hurt people," Sophie responded quickly. "Made them feel unworthy. Don't you ever wonder why all of those elves from Exilium and the dwarves and gnomes joined the Neverseen? Because they are all in the same boat. They all felt...out of place."

Sophie looked down at her hands. She had once felt that way too, and she had hated every minute of it. Every minute of being misunderstood and awkward and _a freak_ ; no one deserved to feel that. Yet there were hundreds and hundreds of people who felt that, undeserving people who were thrown away because they were _talentless._

But that meant that Keefe must've felt out of place, too. He felt different, and he had been distant, but Sophie had just dismissed it as him trying to keep the fact that he was joining the Neverseen a secret. But now that this thought had suddenly came to her, his reasons had suddenly seemed more...unintentional. Keefe had felt misunderstood.

The sad part was, though, that it made sense. Keefe had practically missed out on part of his childhood, the part that was spending time with a loving family, while all of the other elves around him had that. And Keefe had tried so hard to fight his emotions, and fight the emotions of others, with jokes and an _act._ He had tried to hide until he couldn't anymore and he left. He needed truth and relief, a relief he would never get from Sophie or anyone else here.

Sophie slipped out of her chair silently, her mind far off, and all of the other elves staring at her.

"Where are you going?" Fitz asked, standing up too.

"Home," Sophie said. "But I'd rather go alone," she added when he started to walk with her.

"But—"

"Maybe it's best if you let her be," Mr. Forkle interrupted. He gave Sophie a knowing nod and a look, which made her wonder if he knew what she was thinking, or he had slipped into her mind again. "She has been very busy, she should get some rest."

With one last lingering look at Sophie, Fitz let her go and sat back down.

 _Don't worry,_ Sophie transmitted to him. _I will_ — _I'm alright,_ Sophie quickly rephrased her words with what she hoped looked more or less like a reassuring smile. It must've, because Fitz turned his attention away from her.

Letting out a long breath she didn't know she was holding, Sophie left the room. She pressed her back against the back of the closed door and closed her eyes. And even though Keefe was gone, she felt like he understood him even more. Like she had attached a string between them, she was slightly starting to understand Keefe's intentions.

Because she would do the same.

* * *

 **Done! Finally! That was more of a filler chapter, which I hope you already figured out. There wasn't a Keefe-stalking scene, but someone told me to just write and this is what popped out. But _I'm so confused with myself._ If that makes sense. Now, answers to reviews if I haven't already in PM:**

 **twinkletoestbh: first of all, I really like your name. Second, the window slumber parties were my favorite too! I'm wondering though if Shannon Messenger made Keefe leave just so she could make Fitz and Sophie get together. I don't want that (sorry all you Sophitz shippers) but if she did that I would be really PO-ed.**

 **Guest: Thank you!**

 **Guest: that is a very good idea, but could you possibly elaborate? I'd really like to now what you had in mind (because what I have is probably completely different), but I am not a telepath so please tell me! Thank you too!**

 **Keeper: :) thanks!**

 **Keeper fan: I seriously doubt that my story could be any better than anyone elses, especially yours, trust me. If you publish what you're writing (or if it is already published) tell me and I will prove to you yours is better. Maybe I could help you if you want.**

 **Thank you for reviewing everybody and look up Anthony Andrew! Tell me what you think about this chapter (and the picture) in a review! Thanks for being amazingly awesome everyone!**

 **FOREVER YOUNG AND FANGIRL**

 **~Sassy di Angelo :)**


	4. godspeed

**I'm going to make this a short A/N cuz this chapter is way too long (3,513 words). Thanks to everyone who reviewed and stuff. Beta-reader thing is still running (next time I update this story, I will really need one (will be explained next chapter)) and everyone who said they could do it (get an account, if you don't have one!) thank you all! Enjoy!**

* * *

Dex decided to accompany Sophie home, though she already had enough protection with Sandor walking right behind them, his weapons at the ready.

Sophie had already told Dex about her Spyball and what she was currently doing with it (she couldn't help it, he was her best friend), and she could guess that was one of the reasons he had decided to tag along on her way home.

"So," Dex spoke on their way to Everglen's Leapmaster 500, earning a glare from the goblin behind them, who had been enjoying their silence for a while. "What's been going on? I haven't been visiting for a while, so I don't really know."

Sophie shrugged, her eyes trailed to the floor at her feet. "The usual: Fitz and I are practicing our cognates training and we're all still trying to get the Panakes remedy to all of the people infected. And...Prentice."

Dex smiled. He hadn't said anything about her and Fitz's sessions together, ever since Fitz had gotten hurt in Exile, he seemed more…chill around him, though Sophie could tell guilt still appeared in the back of Dex's mind.

"That's good," Dex said as they reached the crystal chandelier. "What about…other stuff?"

Sophie sighed. This is what she got for telling him about Keefe. "Nothing." She and Sandor stepped forward. "Havenfield."

Dex stepped forward too. "Actually I have something I want to talk to you about. About…you know."

Sophie let out another sigh as their crystal lowered to create a path of light. She didn't want to be a bad friend, but now was a time she wanted to be alone. And mourn.

Dex caught onto her thoughts. "You'll like it, I promise."

With that, the three of them stepped into the light, one of them regretting the life she was living, one of them so excited of nwhat he had up his sleeve his giddiness could be felt by an Empath a mile away, and one of them wishing they hadn't eaten so much of Edaline's mallowmelt and wondering if there were diets for goblins.

* * *

"Alright, alright, alright already, let's get started." Dex rubbed his hands together in enthusiasm when he and Sophie were alone in her giant, flowery room. Sophie raised an eyebrow at Dex's terrible imitation of Matthew Mcconaughey, and her lips curved upwards slightly, but the smile never reached her eyes.

"Let me see the Spyball," Dex ordered her, pacing through the flower petals sewn into the carpet. "Oh, and your iPod!"

Sophie shot him a quizzical look, but she stood and walked over to the dresser next to her bed and pulled out the ball wrapped in cloth and her iPod. She handed them to him, and the first thing he did was take the iPod and snap off the back cover rather violently.

"Hey! Be care—!"

"Relax, Sophie," Dex laughed. "I know what I'm doing." He turned away from her, and under his breath he murmured: "Mostly."

Sophie heard what he said. "What are you _doing?"_

Dex turned around, holding her now jacked up iPod and a flashing Spyball. "I'm connecting them." At her confused face he quickly explained. "I had an epiphany earlier: that if I connected them, you would be able to hear what's happening as you watch. They're like speakers."

Sophie slowly understood what he meant. "So…like Bluetooth?"

Dex deadpanned. "Elves don't have blue teeth, though the hippocampi sometimes get blue teeth from eating the blue razzle berries in Atlantis." **(Whatever, my knowledge is not broad, okay?)**

Sophie shook her head in dismay. "Never mind, it's a human thing."

Dex shrugged. "Okay, but you have to let me take these things with me to my lab. This is going to take a few days or so."

Sophie hesitated. He was going to be taking the only thing she had to actually make sure the people she couldn't see now were safe, but if he was going to make it better…

Sophie nodded, and Dex gave her a cute, dimpled smile. "I'll be back in a day, don't worry!" he called to her as he walked past Sandor, who sent her a confused look as the young technopath left with his bundle of stuff.

* * *

"Show me Keefe—"

The Spyball responded before Sophie had even finished her plea, like it was already on auto-pilot from her asking the same thing over and over again.

Dex had dropped off her Spyball and iPod yesterday morning, practically jumping for her to try it out. He'd gone into a long rant about how putting them together was easy task, the smartest human could probably do it (Sophie scowled at that) and how astonished he was to see what the Spyball was made of, though Sophie only comprehended half of it.

Sophie made sure her ear buds were in and that her iPod was at maximum volume, like Dex had told her, though all she heard now was a faint buzzing noise, like static on a television when you turn the volume down. She was a bit wary about this; she was worried her iPod might just blow up in her face, though Dex had said it was safe, but…nothing was " _safe_ " with Sophie.

The ball flashed, focusing on a boy, of which Sophie knew well, standing with his hands planted on two wooden double doors. The doors were carved beautifully, a Panakes tree carved into the surface in intricate lines, the leaves painted a rainbow of colors that practically shone with brilliant light.

Keefe ran his fingers over the high branches and leaves of the towering willow, his face looking pained and his eyes screwed shut.

"I'm sorry Calla," Sophie heard him whisper, starting at the sound of his familiar voice in her ears. "I still don't know why…"

The sound of Keefe's voice was drowned out by hear own. _Oh my god oh my god oh my god this thing actually works oh my god._ Sophie let out an excited squeal, and turned her attention back to Keefe.

Keefe sighed and place his forehead against the door. "Take care of her, please—"

"Sencen!" a voice yelled from behind him. "We're all clear, let's get this done!"

Keefe flinched, like this entire thing was hurting him.

A lean boy suddenly appeared next to Keefe in a haze, peering at him with bright eyes. The boy was handsome, as every elf was, with jet black hair, tan skin, and electric blue eyes. He looked to be much older than Keefe, but they seemed to be buds, despite the fact they both looked slightly uncomfortable.

The boy's eyes flickered between Keefe and the door.

"You okay?" he asked, cocking his head to the side like a curious dog.

Keefe's throat bobbed as he swallowed, but a small grin eventually forced itself onto his face. "Yeah, are you ready?"

The other boy smiled. "Ready as I'll ever be."

With that, Keefe pushed the two doors open, the two of them stepping into the room fearlessly. The others boy's smile wavered slightly as he took in the scene before them, though.

Some of the largest goblins Sophie had ever seen stood there in a formation, like a mini Roman legion, some of them holding melders and their giant swords and some of them wielding crossbows, their arrows aimed directly at them.

Sophie could see gnomes and a few dwarves scurrying around behind the goblins in worry, a few of them disappearing in tunnels to who knows where and others arming themselves as well.

The room they were in had nothing special about it—just plain, dark walls with light radiating off of Balefire crystals that had been set in a mosaic along the walls—but the goblins and gnomes seemed to be trying to protect something, though Sophie couldn't see what.

Keefe's companion put his hands up in surrender. "Well, like they knew we were coming, Sencen. Even decided to throw us a little welcoming party."

"I see that, Aeolus," Keefe agreed, his grin widening into something eviler as he inspected all of the guards.

"But maybe…" the boy—Aeolus—paused dramatically. "I might be a bit too fast for them."

In an instant, a knife slid into Aeolus's hand and he sent it flying at the chest of the goblin closest to him like a bullet.

Almost too late for Sophie's liking, the goblin moved, his hand catching the knife just millimeters from impaling him in the chest. The goblin glared at the boy and threw the knife at the floor like it was garbage.

Aeolus's eyebrows had shot up into his hair almost comically from surprise, but then he laughed, though Sophie could see a little fear in his piercing eyes.

"Hey, you've got some fast reflexes, dude!" he snickered, nudging Keefe's arm a little.

Keefe simply nodded in agreement. "Kudos, man."

The two boys shared a moment of silence for a second.

"Plan B?"

"Plan B."

As soon as Keefe agreed, Aeolus took off, his body barely visible as he zoomed around in circles around the guards, whipping at their hair and clothes with the strong wind he created. He zipped in and out of Sophie's view through the Spyball, and it got Sophie searching her mind to find out _what in the Elvin world_ he was.

The goblins looked around in alarm, a few of them shooting their arrows randomly, though they never hit their target, because Aeolus didn't stop. A few fell, clutching their legs and arms.

Keefe had turned around to the long hallway he and Aeolus had come from, where several elves were running in his direction.

They all wore masks, or had ridiculous outfits like they belonged in a circus or were performers in the Carnival. Sophie realized then where she'd seen attire like that and who they were:

The Black Swan.

 _Keefe was attacking the Black Swan._

Sophie jumped up; reaching to her pocket to get her Imparter, when she remembered she was in her pajamas and that it was the middle of the night.

 _So? KEEFE SENCEN IS ATTACKING THE BLACK SWAN,_ part of her mind scolded. _Right._

Sophie grabbed her Imparter of the dresser at her bedside. "Mr. Forkle."

No one answered.

The goblin ninja stars that Keefe had learned to use well had appeared in his hands, though he didn't look like he was going to throw them. Yet.

An elf wearing a half-mask like the Phantom of the Opera pulled out a small, silver apparatus—a melder—and aimed it at Keefe. He was about to shoot, when Keefe threw ninja stars at him, one hitting him in the leg and another hitting an elf behind him in his shoulder. They both fell, but more were coming, and Keefe was running out of stars.

Keefe quickly reached out and yanked the two doors shut, and closing Sophie's and his view of the injured people outside. He pulled a knife out of his boot, and rapidly started messing with a lock. A click made him and Sophie sigh, one in relief and one because she had no idea what would've happened if the elves had made it past the doors.

A millisecond later, Aeolus came to a stop right next to Keefe again, holding a wicked looking knife, it's blade a strange, see-through metal.

The goblins looked rattled, and the few that had been injured had leapt away already, though most were bringing their attention back to the duo.

"What did you do?" one of them growled as he glowered at them, his voice deep, so unlike Sandor's.

"Nothing," Keefe shrugged. "Well, much. Just remember," He gave them a sad—almost apologetic—smile and swallowed again, "you only need an ember to spark the _ever blaze_."

As soon as the words left his lips, a small, round jar appeared in his right hand, and in a single movement, he threw the bottle at the floor near the goblins' feet. The jar shattered, and white hot flames ignited, licking at the guards and growing until they covered nearly the entire room. It was Everblaze.

"Alden." Sophie whispered.

No one answered.

Most of the goblins managed to lightleap away before the fire had increased too much, when they realized what was happening, but Sophie could see a few still in the midst of the fire, struggling to get out of the burning flames.

Keefe's smile disappeared, and Sophie could tell he had seen them too.

Aeolus stared past the fire. "I can see the door. I'm going to try to get past." He zipped away again, leaving Keefe alone on this side of the flames.

Keefe pulled something out of his pocket then, a small glass ball, a swirl of blue turning inside. He looked up again, meeting the dark eyes of a goblin stuck in the Everblaze. He wasn't struggling anymore, and his gaze was questioning—almost daring Keefe.

Keefe sighed, and giving the ball in his hands one last glare, he rolled the sphere into the fire like a mini bowling ball.

Sophie wasn't sure what the ball was or if the goblin had managed to grab it, but a few seconds later, a flash of brilliant blue light pierced the white of the flames and Keefe took a deep breath.

Aeolus appeared a minute and half later.

"I didn't know how to get it open," he said between short bursts of breath. "I tried everything I could."

Keefe sent his friend a look that said _s_ _eriously dude?_ "Alright, get the fire out." He ran his hands through his hair, making it stand up in a bunch of different directions. "I have a feeling we're going to die this time, bro."

Aeolus nodded, a smile pulling at his lips, and inhaled as much air as his lungs could carry, then began to run again, round and round the flames. With each turn he took, the flames decreased and grew smaller and smaller until they were nothing more than smoke. Keefe sighed. It sounded like one of relief, but really the room was now empty. Then Sophie saw it.

Two double doors, like the ones with the Panakes tree, sat on the other side of the room. But instead of a tree, they held a black swan, its background a mosaic of color and jewels.

Keefe walked up to them as Aeolus stood doubled over with his hands on his knees.

"See? They won't open," Aeolus panted, his face flushed red.

Keefe gave him a slight nod and began examining the doors. "It's a puzzle, Aeolus, that's how the Black Swan works. They want you to think."

Keefe ran his hands along the edges of the door. "Riddles, puzzles, secret names... _cowards_."

"Why do you say that?" Aeolus asked.

Keefe shrugged. "I don't know. I'm mad."

"At what?"

"Them. They put everyone in danger." His right hand stopped. He pulled something away from the wall: a clear crystal, its facets glinting with the spectrum.

 _So do the Neverseen Keefe, now tell me what you're doing so I can fix it._

Keefe moved his hand along the swan until he came to rest at its head. "They never do anything themselves. Kind of like Fintan, they need some kids to do all the dirty work." He slipped the crystal into a hole where the eye of the swan should have been, and with a silent hiss, the doors parted, revealing a sliver room, shelves alining the walls and tiny platnum cubes resting on them.

Aeolus took his slightly dazed gaze away from Keefe to the room. Keefe stepped in calmly, though his eyes were a snowstorm of crazed worry and terror. Aeolus followed him after closing the door.

When Keefe reached the center of the room, he pulled a large silver ring—roughly the diameter of Sophie's head—out of a black satchel hanging from his shoulder. He said something Sophie couldn't understand, though her being a Polygot that should have been impossible. The ring expanded in Keefe's hands, and he let go of it. It floated in the air like a flying saucer, its inner ring glowing with blue light.

Keefe and Aeolus looked around the room in confusion.

A loud pounding pulled them out of their reverie. The Black Swan agents on the other side of the swan doors banged at something, trying to get inside.

"Looks like they didn't find the key," Aeolus noted.

Keefe pulled a pink crystal from his pocket. "Probably not, but we have to get started." He dropped the crystal on the ground and stepped on it. It shattered like it was made of nothing.

Aeolus examined the walls while Keefe began stripping the shelves of their contents, dropping the small squares into the ring, where they disappeared into nothing.

"Don't you think they would have some kind of alarm?" Aeolus asked.

Keefe shrugged, while he stared at a glowing face of one of the cubes. His eyebrows furrowed before he placed it in the ring. Aeolus began to join him, his body just a blur as he collected the cubes at a much more rapid pace than Keefe. They still had a lot of room to cover though.

 _What?_ Sophie asked herself. _Are you supporting them?_ She nearly face palmed. _Look at where sitting around doing nothing gets you._

"Um…Tiergan." Her voice cracked.

No answer.

Aeolus stopped abruptly in front of Keefe. His mouth was ajar and he was gazing intently at the face of the cube clutched in his hands. "Look." His voice was barely a whisper as he held the thing way to close to Keefe's face that it made him lean backwards.

"Okay…it's DNA."

Aeolus nodded vigorously. "Yeah, but it's _fast._ "

Keefe just stared at him in confusion.

"It's a G _odspeed._ " Aeolus sounded excited; meanwhile Keefe merely shrugged off his friend's enthusiasm.

"What? Did you think you were the only one?"

"Well…no. But I didn't think the Black Swan would have a _Godspeed._ " His electric eyes were wide.

 _What is a Godspeed?_ Sophie questioned herself, the Imparter in her hand forgotten.

Then it wasn't.

A high-pitched ringing that made Sophie cringe and the two boys cover their ears pierced the silence in the room.

"What is that?" Aeolus asked, voice raised, the cube pressed against the right side of his face as he covered his ears.

Keefe's eyes darkened. "The alarm."

Aeolus got a frantic look on his face. He scanned the half emptied room around him. The he dashed around in frenzy, Keefe struggling to remain standing as Aeolus collected all of the DNA cube thingies from the shelves.

The ring pinged when Aeolus had dropped the last cube in, the blue light dimming as it contracted and fell from the air. Aeolus quickly caught it.

"Well," Keefe smoothed out his hair and clothes, "that job would've been a lot easier if you had done that in the first place."

Aeolus looked like he was going to apologize—or faint—but he was cut short when the black swan doors flew open with a bang, Magnate Leto storming into the room with a dangerous looking scowl on his face and another fleet of elves and goblins. Leto's face softened a fraction when he saw Keefe, but he still looked warily at Aeolus.

 _Don't hurt him, Magnate Leto— Mr. Forkle— whoever you are, don't you dare hurt him._

Keefe had pulled up a black bandana over his mouth and nose when the doors had opened, his eyes the only part of his face that told Sophie he was slightly surprised to see the Mentor from Foxfire standing before him.

 _Keefe doesn't know,_ Sophie remembered. _Or does he?_

"I didn't know you worked for the Black Swan," a voice said. It belonged to Keefe: having the ability to mimic must have come in handy to him.

"I didn't know you worked for the Neverseen, Keefe Sencen," Magnate Leto countered, playing along. Aeolus sent his partner a confused look for some reason Sophie didn't understand while Keefe got an amused glint in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Master, but we must make like a Godspeed and bid you farewell." Keefe pulled another small jar from his pocket while grabbing Aeolus's arm with his other hand.

Aeolus was not amused. "Dude, that wasn't funny."

"It was to me." With that, Keefe threw the bottle straight at Magnate Leto's face, and Aeolus took off running, dragging Keefe along behind him. Mr. Forkle had been pulled behind a goblin before the bottle had hit him, but when it had hit the goblin…

Aeolus had run a great distance from the room and the fire that now flourished in that room.

"Oh, man that was terrifying," he gasped. Keefe held up a leap crystal, and they both stepped into the light, being whisked away to places unknown.

* * *

Sophie's Imparter beeped in her hand as the Spyball fell from her fingers and rolled to the far wall.

 _Mr. Forkle._

Sophie answered.

Mr. Forkle sighed as soon as he laid eyes on her. "Sophie."

"Sir."

"Something happened."

 _I know, and I didn't tell you._ "What?"

"The Black Swan…has lost."

* * *

 **P.S. If you hate me now, totally understandable, you have the right to hate me (but I blame Shannon Messenger for starting this whole fiasco, okay?))**

 **P.P.S If you didn't understand crap in this chapter that is also totally understandable. Fandom life is thick in me, so most of what I say is nonsense, don't worry. This time it's on me.**


	5. because i'm lazy and kind

**I have no more ideas (well, a few (like, zero) but I need MORE). I'm not making this a whole "what Lodestar could be" story (moment of silence for the loss of The Glitter Ninja's story) and I can't think or imagine what will happen without something to follow (that totally makes sense Sassy (oh gods)).**

 **That last chapter: I remember someone reviewed "show Keefe doing an activity." Now I am sure that is not what you wanted, but…see? I need ideas. Also, I can have multiple betas (but I'm not sure how that fly's with you guys, so you decide).**

Sophie had arrived at Everglen with a tired Sandor at her heels five minutes after Mr. Forkle called.

She wished she'd broken her ankle on the way.

"—what they took," Mr. Forkle was saying when she entered the house. They were gathered in the foyer, Mr. Forkle resting in a chair with Physic pressing a cloth against a side of his forehead. Everyone looked up at her when she entered. They all looked tired and bedraggled—probably because they had all just gotten out of bed.

"Sophie." Fitz sent her a weak smile, which she returned with a twitch of her lips. He patted the area on the couch next to him, gesturing her to sit. She walked over quietly, only a slight warmth flourishing in her cheeks when Fitz laced his hand through hers and squeezed reassuringly.

"So," she said. "What happened?"

Mr. Forkle sighed. "A few minutes ago, two Neverseen members—"

"You know who they were," a goblin with his arm in a sling interrupted, his face in a glower.

"No, I don't."

The goblins nostrils flared. "A fellow brother of mine just risked his life for you." Mr. Forkle closed his eyes. "You know."

Mr. Forkle nodded slowly. "A Godspeed…" Alden's face showed the most shock out of all of them. "And an Empath."

Sophie looked down at her and Fitz's entwined hands. _This is real, Keefe is gone._

Fitz gripped her hand so much she couldn't even feel it anymore. "So…it was…"

"It was Keefe Sencen," the goblin said, his eyes looking like they were trying to drill holes into Mr. Forkle's head. "I saw him."

"Wait…so he was with a Godspeed?" Fitz asked, his voice thick. "What is that?"

"A very rare ability." Mr. Forkle closed his eyes. "Simply, it makes you fast, dangerously fast."

"Only about five elves have ever been recorded to have that ability in Elvin history but…they do not live long." Granite spoke, his voice sounding pained.

"You have one?" Alden asked, a strange curiosity glinting in his teal eyes.

"We had one," Granite's eyes were lost in memory. "She died many years ago."

 _Oh…_

 _That's terrible,_ Fitz's voice filled Sophie's mind.

 _Yeah._ Sophie closed off her mind, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see Fitz nodding in understanding.

"The Godspeed and Empath set fire to one of our vaults in France," Mr. Forkle continued. "They took…files. They hold information."

"And is this bad?" Fitz asked.

The entire Collective looked at him. "Yes. The information in those files is about us—about _you_ and Sophie and everyone and anything that is affiliated with us. Now that they have that information, they know our weaknesses, our flaws, our abilities—"

"You can still fight them; you have an army, don't you?" Fitz interrupted, earning a scolding glare from his father.

"An army is nothing against knowledge," Mr. Forkle looked so mad he could have had smoke curling from his nostrils. "Who we are," he gestured to Granite, Blur, Squall, Wraith and himself, "is meant to be secret, but now…the Neverseen…"

A thick silence filled the room, making Sophie squirm and pull her now sweaty hand out of Fitz's grip.

 _I'm sorry,_ she finally practically yelled into Mr. Forkle's mind, making him jump and look at her with wide eyes.

 _What?_

 _I'm sorry. I knew that Keefe was attacking the Black Swan with Aeolus—_

 _Who is Aeolus?_

Sophie remained silent. _Uh oh._

"Sophie, come with me," Mr. Forkle ordered, pushing Physic's hand away and standing up before walking to the stairs without even looking back to see if Sophie was following.

Sophie did follow, as quickly as she could: she had to get this over with.

"What's wrong?" Fitz asked, grabbing Sophie's wrist as she passed him.

She shook off his hand. "Nothing," she retorted quickly, her eyes never leaving Mr. Forkle's hunched form.

Sophie entered Alden's aquarium/office/place-Sophie-really-didn't-want-to-be-in-right-now as quietly as she could—though she never remembered Mr. Forkle asking to use this room.

Mr. Forkle stood behind Alden's desk, his hands planted on its wooden surface. His glare shifted to Sophie from this right index finger when she closed the door.

"So…" he began.

Sophie flinched.

"…When were you going to tell me about this Spyball predicament?"


	6. disappointment

Sophie looked up.

"What?"

"Were you even going to tell me? Because I promise I wouldn't have been mad."

Sophie shook her head. "When-how-you knew?"

Mr. Forkle laughed. "Of course. When I decided to give you the Spyball, I knew that if something were to happen...something like this, you would eventually use it. But you could have told me."

Sophie blinked. "So...you're not mad?"

Mr. Forkle sighed. "I am disappointed."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you going to stop now?"

Sophie paused. "No."

Mr. Forkle scowled. "Sophie, what Keefe does-what the _Neverseen_ does-is none of your business-"

" _Yes_ it is! Keefe is important to me! If something were to happen to him and I didn't know..." Sophie bit her lip roughly. "...I can't just leave him alone."

Mr. Forkle stared at her angrily. "He is _not_ alone and I told you not to try to contact or spy on-"

"Yeah, well, I don't care."

Mr. Forkle glared. "Sophie-"

" _What?_ "

"What is wrong with you?"

A sob escaped Sophie's mouth a few seconds later and tears began to fall from her eyes, tears that she had been hoping would stay back, stay away forever because they hurt when they fell. She didn't deserve to cry, not now-not ever-because her life was a lot better than other peoples.

"Sophie," she heard Mr. Forkle say softly, then two arms wrapped around her. She was shocked for a moment, because the only two people in this room were her and...

"Mr. Forkle?"

"Hmm?"

Sophie breathed in, the scent of Panakes blossom and strong odor of feet. Not a very good combination, but it was familiar enough to her that this smell had come slightly relaxing.

"I'm scared."

"We all are."

"But..." she sniffed. She didn't want to cover Mr. Forkle's clothing with snot, not when she already covered Fitz with her puke. "I'm scared...that when-if we fail, it'll be my fault."

Sophie could feel Mr. Forkle tense. "You're not alone here, Sophie. You have thousands of elves and gnomes and goblins ready to catch you if you fall, if you need a push to keep fighting." He pulled away from their embrace, his hands on her shoulders.

"So...you're not mad?"

Mr. Forkle deadpanned. "Don't do this again. If something happens..." he screwed his eyes shut. "Sophie, Spyballs are not as secure as you might think. They have flaws, and can be tracked. And I know for a fact that the Neverseen will do whatever it takes to get their hands on you. Don't risk it."

Sophie remained silent.

"Tomorrow," Mr. Forkle stated, "I want you to bring the Spyball here. You, Fitz, and I are going to have a chat."

"About what?"

Mr. Forkle smiled. "Fixing everything...and getting Keefe back."

 **Oh...yay.**


	7. confusion

**Promise me this, guys. If any one of you becomes insanely famous, like an author, or a movie director, or an (drawing) artist, dedicate something to this fandom.**

 **We all want to be adored.**

Sophie rushed out of the room just as fast as that-one-fast-dude (Aeolus) could run.

She literally ran into Fitz as she fell down the stairs. Quite literally.

As Sophie crashed into his chest, Fitz managed to put a hand on the railing that bordered the stairs to prevent them from tumbling down.

Sophie noted he smelled like clean linen ( **hmm…whatever** ).

He helped her regain her footing. She grinned.

"What?"

Sophie's smile somehow got wider. "We're getting him back."

Fitz stared after her in surprise as Sophie pushed passed him. "What? Who? Keefe? When? H _—How?_ "

Sophie shook her head. "I'll explain tomorrow. Just be here." Sophie thought. "Well, you live here…just be here."

She left it at that.

"Where are you going?" Fitz asked.

"I…have…something. You know." She shrugged.

"No, I don't."

"Don't worry about it."

Fitz tried not to.

* * *

Early ( _way_ too early, but Mr. Forkle wanted her there) in the morning, Sophie arrived again at Everglen. She held the Spyball, which was wrapped in a bundle of cloth.

Fitz gave her puzzled look.

She smiled—it seemed like a long time since she'd done that—and stepped into the house.

"Come on," Sophie said, walking up to Alden's office. She thought it must've been weird to have someone lead Fitz through his own house.

Fitz followed her into his father's office and furrowed his eyebrows at seeing Mr. Forkle sitting at the desk.

"When did you get here?" Fitz asked.

"Nine thirty."

Fitz scratched the back of his neck. "I can't…when…" he sighed. "Never mind."

Mr. Forkle seemed amused. "Let me see," he said to Sophie.

Sophie placed the wrapped up Spyball on the desk and pulled out her iPod from her pocket. Mr. Forkle and Fitz shared a look of confusion.

Sophie gave them a coy smile. "Dex helped me out…a bit."

 _I still have no idea what's going on._ Fitz admitted in her head.

Sophie smiled as Fitz stared blankly at the Spyball and the iPod.

"Ready to be creepy, Wonderboy?"

* * *

After the Fitz managed to stop asking questions (which was about three days), they were able to stalk Keefe in silence.

No, it's not creepy.

For a week, whatever Keefe did lead them nowhere, and it was getting frustrating.

Then, on the 9th day, something came up. Something involving ice cream, Venice, fire bending, and blood.

Lots of blood.

* * *

 **I know I crapped up the end there, but the next chapter might be funny to you, who knows. Now I got some reviews I need to answer.**

* * *

 **Percabeth:** I had nothing else to put so I was just…hippocampus. I have read PJO. Thanks

* * *

 **JannieE** : He has to have a soft side, tho, am I right?

* * *

 **Guest:** …first of all, the only anime I follow is Naruto (it's a manga, tho), so whatever you said about Tokyo Ghoul made no sense to me. Second, (and this has been bugging me for awhile) teleportation and time-travel are _not the same thing_. In any universe, teleportation and time-travel are two completely different concepts. So, unless Sophie suddenly develops yet another ability ("protagonist is way too powerful" cliché), I don't think it's going to happen. I know pen. edge has this in their story "Future Self" and this idea seems really similar to that, so maybe you should see what they have to say before asking around. If anyone does write this story, I'd love to help, but…I don't know. It's…complicated.

* * *

 **animaljam:** IM TRYING. AND I KNOW. (Watch me sing Frozen, guys: CUZ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER, SASSY IS GETTING HER BUTT OUT OF BED)

* * *

 **pen. edge:** yeah, long time no see, yada-yada. Hello. Thanks for that long string of compliments. ("when they get Keefe back…") *laughs*. I did in fact come up with the Godspeed thing.

Definition of Godspeed: an expression of good wishes to a person starting a long journey OR " _Hasta la vista, baby_!"

Yes, Aeolus is screwed.

* * *

 **Don't look up to me, you guys, I'm not a good role model (I am a piece of crap).**

 **P.S. I have this story on wattpad right now featuring some one-shots for KOTLC and I'm too lazy to move it over here. If you want you can go check it out, my username is: theSassyAngel (I have such kawaii names ^.^). The story is called "Listen; sometimes I make sense."**

 **Thank you for your cooperation.**

 **-Sassy di Angelo**


	8. (I am worthless crap)

**A worthless quote:**

" _ **I have a dream."**_

" _ **What is your dream?"**_

" _ **To have a dream."**_

 **-Scary Movie 3**

It hurt.

So much.

Sophie clamped her hand over her mouth, biting down on the skin of her palm. It didn't hurt as much as what he was feeling.

Keefe was kneeling, his face pressed firmly to the floor by someone's foot. His breathing came in ragged gasps, his lip was bleeding and his cheek was swelling.

Sophie stared. She peeled her hand from her mouth and stared.

Fitz did the same.

Keefe craned his neck to look up at the other person. It was Fintan.

Fintan's blue eyes gleamed in delight. "At least you didn't pass out this time. It's more fun if you can feel the pain."

"Get off me," Keefe spoke through gritted teeth.

To Sophie's surprise, Fintan removed his foot. "Sorry."

Keefe sat upright slowly. He dropped a small knife he was holding and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand.

Fintan remained where he was as Keefe grabbed the knife again and stood. He smiled.

"It's like looking in a mirror."

Keefe's eyes flared, but he did nothing.

"I'm sorry I had to put you through this, boy," Fintan continued, "but it was for your own good."

Keefe cast his eyes downward, a shadow passing over his face. "I understand."

"Good." Fintan let out a sound that could possibly have been a giggle. "You aren't going to try to kill me when I turn around, are you?"

Keefe looked down at the knife. "N-No."

Fintan turned.

Keefe's grip on the knife tightened.

 _He could kill Fintan._ The thought sent a shudder through Sophie's body.

She was about to stand and leave the Spyball to them when Fitz placed his hands over hers.

Sophie looked away from the ball, meeting his eyes.

 _He wouldn't do that._ He told her.

 _No._

 _He would._

She watched as Keefe raised his arm. He moved fast, his hand flinging the knife forward at an alarming speed.

But the blade missed Fintan by a full five inches. It hit the glass in front of him instead.

The window shattered. Fintan stepped forward.

They were high above the ground, the harsh wind whipping at Fintan's robes. The view of the shimmering crystal city was beautiful.

Then the waves started, white and burning.

"Too late…"

* * *

 **Oh well, that's it. Everyone is burned. Fin.**

 **(Excuses, excuses, excuses. I can't do this anymore.)**

 **It was fun while it lasted. Like any anime, things have to end horribly.**

 **I would continue but right now I can't do anything until the next seasons of Attack on Titan and Miraculous Ladybug come out. But that won't be till next year. I'm sorry.**

 **(BTW, you should check out my wattpad! I have two in-progress KOTLC stories there that I might not be posting here! Look me up; theSassyAngel or Sassy di Angelo!)**

 **Forever mourning over Attack on Titan,**

 **Sassy di Angelo**


	9. admittance and just being you

**~last one i'm going to write for this story. when you finish this, it will be considered COMPLETED**

* * *

So he was back.

Sophie sighed, turning her head to look at him. Keefe was sitting next to her, his face furrowed with concentration as he tried to remember...something. Something important.

Sophie had a feeling that they had already gone over every moment that he had been with the Neverseen, from the first second to the last, and they wouldn't be finding anything new in his memories.

They were sitting under the panakes-the same spot where Keefe had told her that her human family may have been taken.

That spot had almost lost it's magic touch in raising her spirits. It was so easy to be sad, to fall into that depressing black hole and never come out. But she couldn't, because for the best reasons they wouldn't let her forget what happiness felt like.

She met Keefe's eye when he looked at her.

"Anything?"

"No," he said, like a sigh mixed with speech. He flopped back into the soft grass.

"It's okay," she answered, trying for a smile. Her lips felt so heavy. "You don't have to keep doing this, you know."

"Stop trying to get rid of me, Foster." Keefe smiled for her. "We've already missed out on so much Team Foster-Keefe time."

"And who's fault is that?" She whispered it, already knowing it was wrong before the words had come out of her mouth.

His face shifted the tiniest bit, but Sophie caught it.

"Sorry."

"Me too," he said, looking away and closing his eyes.

Sophie sighed again. Her gaze moved to her right, into the grass where a glass sphere that reflected the sunlight into a rainbow sat beside her.

She almost wanted to break it.

She didn't even know why she'd brought it out with her. The spyball was close to useless at this point, just there to mock her and make her remember how much she didn't know what she was doing.

Sophie grabbed it, rolling it in her hands. She could still feel it's dead coldness though her gloves.

"You know," she began, slowly, unsure, "I used to watch you."

He turned his head slightly.

"With the spyball. Just to make sure you were still..." She swallowed. "I was so scared of what I'd see. What you were doing. What they were doing."

Keefe sat up, his eyes not moving from her face. When she didn't meet his eyes, he just smirked and let out a little laugh. "A stalker? Add that to the list of the things I didn't know about you and we've reached our one thousand mark."

Sophie rolled her eyes in spite of herself.

"But you're not the first, so don't be embarassed." He sighed happily. "Those were the good old days, huh? So much has-"

Sophie reached out and hugged him.

Keefe almost immediately wrapped an arm around her, and after a few seconds he pulled her closer.

"I wish there was something else I could do," he said, low, talking into the crook of her neck. "So I could help you find your family. And fix everything."

"What about..." Sophie started. She pushed herself away from the little nook he had made for her under his arm, finally looking at him straight on. "What about _your_ family? Your mom isn't going to come out of hiding so easy." Sophie felt her gaze slide again to the spyball. Her hand slowly started to follow. "We could fi-"

Keefe's hand reached the ball first. He used his other hand to tilt her face to look back at him. "My family's right here. Everyone I care about is right in front of me." He smiled, that sad smile that she couldn't stand. "Where they belong."

Sophie blinked. She felt herself get hot; she would never be able to get used to the feeling of heat spreading across her skin and her heart stopping and lurching into hyper-mode at the same time.

Or the feeling of her fight or flight instinct kicking into action.

She kissed him.

When she pulled away, he wrapped her in a hug again.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

She felt him laugh. "Just being you."

* * *

 **~thank you for voting on this story and commenting. it still made me happy to see people wanting more of this and asking for it. this was for you guys (and partially for me; it refused to remain incomplete and it wasn't letting me sleep at night ~-~)**


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